SELECTED ESSAYS (2) by young authors Helsinki Committ ee for Human Rights in Serbia Belgrade, 2005 Selected Essays (2) by young authors Pblisher: Helsinki Committ ee for Human Rights in Serbia his is the second collection of selected essays by the authors who Tatt ended the courses and seminars the Helsinki Committ ee for For publisher: Human Rights in Serbia organized in 2005. Sonja Biserko Within the tree-year project “Building up Democracy and Good Governance in Multiethnic Communities” that is being implemented with the assistance of the European Union, twenty-four 5-day “Schools Editor: of democracy” and sixteen 3-day seminars under the common title “Life Seška Stanojlović and Living in Multiethnic Environments” were held in 2004 and 2005 in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Kragujevac and Novi Pazar. Over 1000 trainees Translated by: att ended these courses and seminars. The project is aimed at capacitating young people - by the Ivana Damjanović means of att ractive courses of training - not only for a life in multiethnic communities that are particularly burdened with the adverse experience Number of copies: of the recent past, mutual distrust and stereotypes, but also for a life in 300 the conditions that mark a modern democracy and refl ect its standards. An objective as such implies, among other things, rational perception of notions, developments and trends that are in Serbia still blurred, Printed by: marginalized and subject to relativism or, moreover, to various and even Zagorac, Belgrade, 2005 misguiding interpretations. The Helsinki Committ ee’s experience testifi es this is all about a process that takes time but is worthy of eff ort - the more ISBN - 86-7208-116-1 so since young people, as evidenced by the selected writings as well, fully perceive it as an imperative need of their own. This edition has been produced with the fi nancial assistance of the European Union. The contents of this edition are the sole responsibility of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia and can under no circumstances be regarded as refl ecting the position of the European Union. 3 Contents: • Stefan Nikolić: A Teen’s Thoughts on Problems of His Generation .. 7 • Olivera Radovanović: Fall 200X ............................................................... 10 • Nenad Jelenković: Haven’t You Grown Tired of Your Own Hatred .. 12 • Nataša Kiković: Wedding, Wedding, Wedding .................................... 15 • Milica Stevanović: Light to life ................................................................ 21 • Andraš Juhas: Where is Our Country Headed .................................... 23 • Irena Đorđević: Democracy ..................................................................... 27 • Mara Živkov: For the Literate Only ....................................................... 29 • Tamara Stojković: Diff erences and Values as a Challenge .................. 33 • Tij ana Vladisavljević: Future, Human Liberties and Rights ............... 36 • Ivan Kuzminović: Much-needed Foes .................................................... 40 • Ivan Kovačević: Generation Lost in Fog ................................................ 45 • Dragana Ćorić: Brussels, 25 June 2005 ................................................... 48 • Miloš Stoiljković: Much Expected from the Young Ones .................... 50 • Nebojša Đerić: The Country Which I Love ........................................... 55 • Miloš Gajić: Homework .......................................................................... 59 • Milan Zaviša: An Interesting Life in - Boredom .................................. 65 • Maja Lonhardt: Esthetics in Media ......................................................... 67 • Dejan Pataki: “You are What You Watch” ............................................ 70 • Vladeta Milin: Football Field .................................................................. 74 Stefan Nikolić (Novi Sad) A TEENAGER’S THOUGHTS ON PROBLEMS OF HIS GENERATION y topic is indicated in the title, while in my head continue to swirl Mthoughts about the link between multiethnicity of Vojvodina and the rights of the child. I am vexed by the hatred-charged graffi titi which I can see on the walls of my city, and I am also vexed by my history teacher to whom I mustn’t disclose the true causes of my late September absence from school. And I was with You. You must be wondering now about my whereabouts in those days? I att ended the School of Democracy in 26-30 September period in the Novi Sad offi ce of the Helsinki Committ ee for Human Rights. My att endance was seemingly accidental, while in fact, once the lectures were fi nished, I realized that my mother had secrectly planned everything in advance, and in fact made me face a fait acompli situation. Now while writing down my thoughts I am very grateful to her. Several days prior to the start of the aforementioned lectures, I fell off the bycicle in downtown Novi Sad and broke my arm. My arm was put in plaster. During my sick leave my mother showed me the text relating to the Helsinki Committ ee School of Democracy and tried to explain to me how useful it would be for me to att end it. Then I was not very interesested in that school. Now I recall that I thought it might be quite dull, but my mother persuaded me to att end that school by the following words: “Stefan, last summer you were in Petnica. You 7 young authors selected essays (2) came back a new boy, full of enthusiasm and enchanted with the then lectures. In this primary school we are being told stories about the Children’s School of Democracy is Petnica of social sciences and it could help you fi nally opt parliament, about creation of a good mood in school, and contribution of children for the secondary school specialization.” to improvement of quality of lectures and the learning process. Pupils and their Then people from your organization were very understanding of my parents are asked to come up suggestions in that regard. There is much emphasis age, they invited me, and their school was so interesting that I am now writing on the partnership between pupils’s house education and school education, they about my impressions and thoughts. Perhaps I am in fact writing about indeed teach us to respect opinions of others and to honour diversity. While I with my impressive people whom I saw there, and whose lectures and words I, to some experience of the wealth of diversity must keep mum, and when I dare mention it extent understood. I am met with disapproval, stern glances and criticism of the people who people I am sure that you, while reading this text, are in fact thinking the who had let me trust my School for Democracy lecturers. following: What is this boy trying to write about, what is he in fact trying to tell And that is not the end of my troubles! us? What is that suggested link between multi-ethnic Vojvodina and his professor My both parents are jurists employed by the Novi Sad Ministry of the of history? Interior. And we all know that the date of 5 October has long passed. Well, to And believe me, there is a strong and visible link and I am very gratefu to make the long story short, my mother came from work several days ago and you for allowing me see and listen to the person who was one of the candidates for started telling us how her colleagues criticized her for lett ing her child att end the the Nobel Prize, then Biljana Kovačević’s Vučo lecture which prompted me write notorious Helsinki Committ ee School for Democracy. And that is exatly the link this essay, Pavel too, whose discussion was as interesting as the one between my between insulting graffi tt i on the parliament and Executive Council of Vojvodina parents in our house, and fi nally, the imparting of the history-related overview by building and absence of human rights. Sneža Kresoja. Ideas of my parents are not very popular in their work ambience, and I Suddenly I no longer saw those boring people from TV screens whom feel misunderstood and isolated in my school because of my parents and their my parents usually watch and whose statements they sometimes quote during decision to let me att end the democracy lectures of an organization which in discussions about the political situation in our country with their friends. Serbia does not enjoy much support. Suddenly all those TV people had their names and surnames, their distinctive And that too explains the link between the two, apparently remote topics: gestures, they were there, before my eyes- in fl esh. multiethnicity of Vojvodina and the rights of the child. Instead of all the people Once the lectures were over I really desired to share my impressions with embracing the common idea of respect of diff erent opinions, and lett ing it lead my peers, with my school pals and teachers. But then the curtain fell, and my us to the unique vision of peace and welfare among people, we have opted for enthusiasm and joy were replaced with melancholy and sadness. teetering on the brink of ruin in our isolation from the rest of the world, all the Since my sick leave was justifi ed by a doctor’s certifi cate, I was able to while being terribly proud of being Serbs! We are so obsessed with showing to the do whatever I fancied. And that is exactly what I did. But as soon as I was back rest of the world our exclusivity! in school, back in my 8th grade with stories about my interesting experience Today we had a special class during which it was decided that the and impressions of TV people whom I have met personally, impressions of their majority of pupils from my grade would set out on a several day long excursion. words, no-one was willing to listen to me. I could not share my impressions with Our head teacher tacitly and in advance approved our future consumption of beer anyone. and wine, with the following words: “Children but all those bott les must be kept History professor is obsessed with the Kosovo myth and Serbhood, my by me!” head teacher is a refugee from Croatia, and in her mind all non-Serbs are probably My friend Jovana (last summer we att ended the Summer Scientifi c School bad people.